BANGKOK, 30 September 2005 — Lleyton Hewitt survived four match points to edge past Justin Gimelstob and take his place in the quarterfinals of the Thailand Open yesterday.
The second-seeded Australian was made to scrap all the way before eventually clinching a 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 victory.
Hewitt faces home hero Paradorn Srichaphan next.
Roger Federer recovered his poise to cruise past Germany’s Denis Gremelmayr 6-3, 6-2.
The Swiss world No.1 has now won 74 matches this year, matching Spaniard Rafael Nadal, and looked far more comfortable than in his opening match.
Federer’s frustration boiled over on Wednesday as he struggled to overcome Brazilian Marcos Daniel and he threw an uncharacteristic temper tantrum by slamming his racket to the ground.
Briton Andy Murray realized his ambition of a place in the world top 100 by beating Swedish fifth seed Robin Soderling 7-6, 7-6.
Fifth-seeded Jarkko Nieminem of Finland advanced with a hard fought 7-6, 6-4 win over Russia’s Dmitry Tursunov.
Seventh-seed Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand, the Asian No. 1, defeated Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, 7-5, 6-4.
Puerta, Johansson, Stepanek
Advance in Vietnam Open
The ATP Vietnam Open’s top three seeded players — Argentina’s Mariano Puerta, Sweden’s Thomas Johansson, and Czech Republic’s Radek Stepanek — handily defeated challengers Wednesday to advance in first-round singles in Ho Chi Minh City.
Top-seeded Puerta managed to hold off Japan’s Go Soeda during a two-hour game that ended 6-4, 6-7, 6-4.
After stumbling in the first set, second-seeded Johansson rallied to defeat Germany’s Alexander Popp, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Third-seeded Stepanek defeated Korea’s Hyung-taik Lee 7-6, 6-1, finishing off the second set in just 18 minutes.
Sixth-seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina fought off Croatia’s Sasa Tuksar, 6-3, 7-5, but fourth-seeded Kenneth Carlsen lost to Swede Jonas Bjorkman, 3-6, 4-6.
In other first-round singles action, Germany’s Alexander Waske defeated Raemon Sluiter of the Netherlands, after the tournament’s longest match ended just over three hours 7-6, 6-7, 7-6. Rainer Schuettler of Germany defeated countryman Simon Gruel 6-7, 6-3, 6-1.
Meanwhile, Czech Republic’s Jiri Vanek defeated wild card Prakash Amritraj of India 6-7, 7-6, 6-4.
In first-round doubles, Ashley Fisher of Australia teamed up with Swede Robert Lindstedt to defeat Italy’s Uros Vico and Croatia’s Lovro Zovko, 6-2, 6-2.
Cecil Mamiit and Eric Taino of the United States defeated Lee Hyung-taik and Takao Suzuki, Japan, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
Vaidisova Advances to
Korea Open Quarterfinals
In Seoul, Czech second seed Nicole Vaidisova advanced to the Korea Open quarterfinals yesterday with an easy 6-2, 6-1 win over Japan’s Akiko Morigami.
The 16-year-old overpowered Morigami from the outset to win in 50 minutes.
Vaidisova will take on eighth seed Marion Bartoli of France who beat Saori Obata of Japan 6-2, 6-3.
Third seed Tatiana Golovin of France brushed aside Mariana Diaz-Oliva of Argentina 6-1, 6-2 and now plays Japan’s Ai Sugiyama who beat Martina Muller of Germany 6-4, 6-3.
Catalina Castano of Colombia rolled into the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-0 win over fourth seed Gisela Dulko of Argentina, while Laura Granville of the United States beat Nicole Pratt of Australia 6-2, 6-1.
